Prof. Conor O'Mahony, Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, has published his annual report which looks at a multitude of issues such as reviewing the Child Care Act 1991, the expansion of the Barahus/Onehouse project, and the establishment of Divisional Protective Service Units within An Garda Síochána. The Report also highlights that significant work is needed in the areas of child homelessness, special care placements, prevention, detection and prosecution of child trafficking offences, and inter-agency collaboration.
Prof. O'Mahony also addresses the absense of proposals by government to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility (currently 12 years old but with a special derogation to 10 years old for serious offences), the lack of resources provided to An Garda Síochána investigating child abuse through ICT systems, the amount of support offered to children who are 'ageing out' of the care system, and ongoing delays in the provision of redress for victims of sexual abuse in National Schools.
The Report also takes a close look at how Covid-19 has impacted on child protection in Ireland with a particular focus on child welfare in the areas of education, social interaction, economic impacts, physical and mental health, the fact that some children were forced to stay in unsafe environments alongside significantly higher than normal levels of domestic violence, and how Covid-19 restrictions, in particular school closures, impacted the flow of child protection referrals to authorities. Home visits by social workers were limited by contact tracing requirements and children experienced higher levels of cyber-bullying due to increased levels of unsupervised screen time.
Commenting of the publication of the Report, The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, T.D. said
"I welcome this second annual report from Professor Conor O’Mahony in his role as Special Rapporteur. As well as providing an objective and independent expert view of the child protection system in Ireland, these reports have been influential in developing policy and legislation across the wider system. While progress has been made on many issues, there are others requiring further improvement and I will continue to work with Government colleagues and front-line agencies to improve the lives of children and young people in Ireland.
"I have always said that the Commission’s Report was not the end point in our engagement with the sad and complex legacy of Mother and Baby Institutions. The Action Plan published on 16 November outlines the Government’s wide ranging response to the priority needs and concerns of all those who spent time in those institutions. The Plan includes 22 measures to promote and honour the voice of survivors, enhance access to personal and institutional information, provide for further education and research initiatives, and provide dedicated services to respond to survivors’ current and future needs. In that context, I welcome ongoing engagement and analysis in this area, such as that undertaken by the Special Rapporteur."
The report is a welcome reminder for the government that our children are a part of us and that, as we move through national and global emergencies, governments must to remember that restrictions such as those introduced over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, are as devastating to children as they are to adults, perhaps even more so.
The full report can be accessed by clicking here